


Kitten Troubles

by The_Twister



Category: The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Cat Dark Link, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 16:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8334436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Twister/pseuds/The_Twister
Summary: Dark is a cat and Link just so happens to adopts him but things turn south when something dangerous happens and causes a permanent change in Link.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kecleon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kecleon/gifts).



"I think this one is good." Link smiled as he let the cat rub against his face. It purred and meowed to him and began to nuzzle his face more.   
  
"Are you sure sir? It has a history of trouble with former owners." Link looked at the person. "A lot of people have returned him because he was misbehaving." Link shrugged and stood up with the black kitten in his hands.   
  
"Your point? That fact doesn't matter to me. I just want a companion with me when I go home. And on a few quests." Link waved a hand to the complications the small animal has had. "Just because he has had trouble with former owners doesn't mean it'll be the same with me." Link told the person.   
  
"Well, his name is Dark just so you know. He responds best to that one. Thank you for taking care of him." The person took Link's rupees.   
  
"Thank you!" Link smiled and Dark nuzzled his fingers. "I'm sure you'll like it with me." Link told him and turned left to go back to where he was staying for now. "We'll be off tomorrow. So let's rest up in this inn for a while." The cat mewed in response and Link couldn’t help but smile. He was sure it was going to be a good time with the small animal.

It had been a few months since Link adopted Dark and he hadn’t been a hassle at all. Well, not more than a kitten should be. He was sitting in Hyrule field with the feline and his horse. He had taken up the habit of lying within the long grass and he would stare up at the sky. Get lost in the clouds and also the blue color of it. He would sometimes sleep but that wouldn’t happen too often because of the postman.

Link groaned as he sat up and took the letter from the other. It described all these events that had happened and the hero frowned. He glanced to Dark who was curled up next to him then he scooped him up in his arms. It alarmed the feline and made Dark bite him but Link hadn’t cared. “I gotta have you stay with a friend buddy. Just this once. Malon will take good care of you.” Link assured the black feline and Dark meowed back to him. 

Link put him in the pouch on Epona who neighed in annoyance but Link patted her on the neck. Assuring her things would be alright. He kicked her side and they were off to Malon’s ranch. 

He got off of Epona once he got to the ranch. Landing on the dirt road and he took a sleeping Dark out of the pouch. He went over and opened a door. Finding Malon singing to the cows. He smiled as he watched her a while then he held Dark up once she turned around.

“You want me to watch him?” Malon asked and Link nodded. He normally talked only to his animals or to shop keeps. Others like Malon or Zelda didn’t get the luxury of hearing his voice. “Of course I’ll watch over Dark. Do you know how long you’ll be gone for?” Malon asked as he shrugged then guessed.

Link held up two fingers and saw the girl wince. She hadn’t acknowledged it though in her next statement.

“Well, I’ll keep him well fed then! Bye and be safe! Would hate to see you hurt when you come back!!” Malon waved and smiled. Malon watched him leave and she looked down at Dark who was still sleeping peacefully. “This is going to be a long two days...” She sighed. She had never complained to Link about how Dark acted once he wasn’t around but she might have to this time around. The cat was menace. A pure menace. She sighed and went into her house.

Link had been gone a lot longer than he stated and Malon was almost pulling her hair out. Dark had managed to rip apart a pair of her favorite underwear and rip up the side of her dresser. She was about to throw the damn cat out until she heard a knock on the door. She rushed over and opened it to see Link standing there. He was pale and had a bandage around his neck. His head was bandaged and it seemed his torso also had one.

Link made a sound and pointed to Dark who perked up to hearing him. Dark was bigger now and he bounded over to Link but stopped once he saw all the injuries. He mewled sadly and went up to Link’s leg to rub against it but the hero winced. Dark mewled again but sadly and then mewled in protest when he was picked up by a wincing Link.

Link handed Malon a purple rupee then he went to the horse that had brought him. It wasn’t Epona and someone was on the said horse. She smiled to Link and helped him get on the horse. “Glad to have Dark back?” The woman asked and Link nodded. He hadn’t said anything and he looked at Dark. Petting his fur as they began to ride back to the town.

That’s when Dark realized who it was. It was this Zelda person his owner would talk so much about. He saw Link’s grim expression and licked the fingers that were petting him. He wanted to hear his voice. He saw Link smile but no sound came. It confused him but he kept trying.

Link sat on the bed in the guest chamber that Zelda led him to and Link put Dark down. He sighed and put his head in his hands. He was so depressed ever since he lost his voice. Sure, he didn’t talk much but he knew Dark becomes calm when you talk to him like a person. You have to pay attention to the cat. Or to any cat.

He heard Dark mewling more to him and he looked down and smiled. “D-” He coughed after though and Dark pawed his foot. He could tell Dark was worried for him but all he could was smile. There was nothing else he could say. He couldn’t even speak.

Link awoke the next morning to a knock and he answered it. He saw the royal doctor and he let the man in. There was no reason not to. He exposed his neck to the man after the bandages came off and the doctor saw the purplish bruises.

He told Link to swallow and Link did so but winced in pain. Everything he did including his throat hurt him so much. He saw the doctor note this and the doctor turned to his nurse to inform her.

The next thing that Link heard had him look to the ground. 

“I won't be able to treat his wounds. He will have to resort to being mute.” The doctor told the nurse who nodded sadly. She went over to Link to explain it but he brushed it off. He wasn't deaf. He exposed his neck again for the nurse and he let her wrap it. 

He couldn't believe it. He had lost his voice. And only so many people had heard it. Sure, he was upset about it. He was very upset about it. He thought he'd have his voice back but it was just a dream.

He saw the doctor and nurse leave then he laid on his bed. He jumped when Dark jumped up then curled up on his stomach. He smiled to the cat but knew things would get bad soon. He couldn't help but go back to sleep with Dark on his stomach. A small smile gracing his lips.

It may have taken a bit longer than Link expected but Dark began to act up. It was once Link had gotten better and the bandages were gone. The purplish bruise was also disappearing but more slowly. 

Dark would paw at him. Scratch him for attention and Link would give it to him but the cat always mewled in disappointment. Of course Link knew what Dark wanted. Dark wanted to hear his voice but it was impossible. He couldn't give his cat what he wanted.

After multiple times of this happening was after when Dark began to really act up. He began to scratch up Link’s maps and his tunics. He’d rip up anything that was rippable and that he could get to. 

Link knew why but it still made him angry. He picked Dark up by his neck and would put him in a cage every so often. For a short period of time of course but Link was sure that just fueled the cat's anger.

It did. It made the cat scratch up furniture and scratch Epona's leather pouches. Or Link’s rupee bags. His bomb bags. Dark wasn't giving anything mercy.

Link would find clothing and belongings of his that were shredded. He sighed in annoyance and looked at Dark. He was peaceful sleeping. He was peaceful when he was sunbathing but he wasn't when he was awake.

He was a little dick when he was awake but Link didn't have the heart to get rid of the cat. Sure, a lot of his things were broken because of the cat and would interfere with his quests but he loved Dark. He didn't want to give the cat up.

Link walked in Zelda’s throne room and bowed low. She had seeked an audience with him. The reason? He had no idea. He just knew he had to take the letter with him in order to get into the castle to speak with her. He was sure it was hero matters but he wasn’t too sure. He stood straight after he heard Zelda say stand up and he gave her full eye contact.

“I have seen your performances lacking when you go and save people. They have informed me that it’s due to the black cat that you own. Could you either control Dark or the other thing.” Zelda said sternly and Link winced to the other thing.

He knew what the other thing was and he couldn’t do that. He wanted to keep Dark. Dark was his responsibility after all. He pursed his lips and shook his head to the other. He wasn’t going to give up on Dark. He wasn’t going to be like all the other owners.

“Either you get rid of him or stop being a hero. Which would you rather have, Link?” Zelda asked and Link winced again. Damn, Zelda could be so harsh sometimes.

He sulked out of the throne room and he went to Epona. She was waiting outside with Dark sleeping in a pouch. The cat had calmed down a considerable amount but would now freak out if Link went on dangerous quests and follow him. This in turn would make it very difficult for Link to save people. Hence why Zelda knew about it since they would complain to her about getting injured thanks to Dark.

He was sure Dark acted that way because of the one quest he went on and came back with no voice. Dark must be worried that he won’t ever come back if he goes on another dangerous quest like that. He stared at Epona and the horse neighed then nudged his hand with her nose. Link smiled sadly and he held her face in his hands then smiled warmly. Epona neighed once tears fell down Link’s cheeks.

Link tried to laugh but it was raspy and he went over to the pouch that Dark was occupying. He had to get rid of him. If he wanted to keep helping people then he had to get rid of him. He swallowed his pride and held the cat close. It woke up Dark who began to nuzzle back into him and more tears came. 

“I’m...” Link barely managed and he coughed violently afterwards but he had to say it. “Sorry...” He coughed more and Dark mewled. “Dark....” Link finally managed and the cat began to constantly meow. Little whiny mewls came from Dark as Link went to walk into town. He turned into one of the alleys that led to the animal shelter. So many cats were there already but he knew Dark would be safe there from now on and Link could visit him whenever.

He walked in and the bell rang for the shop as the door had hit it. Link looked up and that’s when Dark tried to jump out of his arms. Scratching them up and mewling like he was getting hurt but Link didn’t want to let him go. More tears came and the shopkeep went over to help Link. Taking the scared Dark out of his arms and taking him to the back.

Link stood there for a while and saw the red marks on his arms. He stared at them and felt more tears brim over. Why was he such a wimp? He swallowed and went over to the counter as the shopkeeper came out from the back.

  
“Here are your rupees. And the collar that was on the cat.” Link heard the woman and took the collar. He stared at it and the name Dark was engraved onto a coin he had found. He gripped it in his hand and nodded to the shopkeeper. He then left the shelter as he heard the sad mewling of Dark repeat in his head. He’d miss Dark for sure.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these stories!~


End file.
